Afterward.
Nearly all of Seirin was in tears, an atmosphere of sorrow permeating the air.
Their effort had been second to none.
During the summer, they had undergone hellish training at three times the normal intensity.
Aida Riko had even brought in her father, a former professional player, to give them specialized coaching.
And the result?
Not much different from when they faced Seihō at the Inter-High.
They had been crushed, without a glimmer of hope from start to finish.
What made them even more despairing—
Yuuto's Weakness Correction, his talent—it would only make their chances of beating Seihō even slimmer the next time they faced each other.
Seirin's championship window seemed to have closed prematurely.
Too many emotions erupted at this moment. Even the strongest among them couldn't hold back their tears.
But Yuuto brought them some good news.
"Being able to play against them one last time felt pretty good."
"You're an excellent team."
Yuuto never minded showing good sportsmanship after a victory.
Hyūga Junpei wiped his tears and shook his hand, comforting himself silently.
But it took him a while to process what he'd heard.
"One last time? What do you mean?"
"After this year, I'll be leaving Japan. Next year, your opponent won't be me—it'll be the Generation of Miracles. Good luck."
Yuuto released his grip, glanced at Kuroko, but ultimately said nothing. He patted his teammate's shoulder and departed.
Though they were former teammates.
His path and Kuroko's were completely opposite.
He couldn't—and didn't want to—play basketball like Seirin, shouting about bonds and trust, relying on spiritual power to win games.
He believed in himself!
Jordan did the same. Kobe too. They never used such things to win championships.
They would train themselves to exhaustion after a loss, making themselves stronger, and return the following year to exact their revenge.
Hyūga Junpei relayed the news to his teammates.
Kagami and the others were stunned. They weren't happy about it.
Without Yuuto, what would winning even mean?
That was typical overthinking.
The current Generation of Miracles was even stronger than in the original timeline. Seirin wasn't guaranteed to win anything.
...
One week later.
The Winter Cup finals began.
The matchup was between the Inter-High champion and runner-up.
The media promoted this game as "The Second Coming of the Inter-High."
During that week—
Akashi had attempted to open the second gate of the Zone, but he hadn't succeeded.
Perhaps.
The only teammates he truly trusted had always been the Generation of Miracles.
The most beautiful years of his life remained those three years at Teikō.
Still, Rakuzan displayed tremendous power in the finals.
But when Yuuto once again broke through his limits, even the Emperor Eye's absolute prediction was shattered.
Seihō won the finals again, achieving the Grand Slam—both the Inter-High and Winter Cup championships.
As Yuuto hoisted the trophy, Yamashita Shigeo watched him with deep emotion.
He was beginning to understand why Yuuto was so determined to cross the Pacific immediately.
Here in Japan, he would never encounter a real challenge again. He was completely invincible.
Thinking this, Yamashita Shigeo also began considering retirement.
He planned to resign as Seihō's basketball club head coach, leaving while both he and Seihō were at their peak.
...
A few days later.
Seihō Basketball Club.
There was no practice today. All club members had gathered.
Yuuto, as club captain, fulfilled his duties one final time—personally sending off Seihō's third-years.
Iwamura Tsutomu, Kasuga Ryuhei, Ōmuro Yoshiichi, Sakamoto Kenjiro, and others.
They held flowers gifted by the other club members, smiling as they stood before their juniors.
Achieving the Grand Slam in their final year—both the Inter-High and Winter Cup championships—their high school careers had no regrets.
"Here, on behalf of all Seihō basketball club members, I offer you our sincerest blessings."
"At the same time, thank you for all you've given to Seihō's basketball club over these three years. Though we part ways today, the wonderful memories we made here will remain in our hearts forever."
"I wish you all a path of blooming flowers in your future lives... That concludes my remarks."
Applause!
When Yuuto finished reading the script and tossed it aside, the gymnasium erupted in warm applause.
But this wasn't the end.
Next came the ceremony for the transfer of the captain's position.
Everyone felt somewhat melancholic. Some second-year members especially felt it was a shame.
Everyone knew Yuuto would be leaving after this year, heading to that holy land of basketball.
They had known this for a while. The regret came from not being able to play alongside Yuuto anymore.
The farewell ceremony concluded, and the captaincy transfer was completed. Tsugawa Tomoki became Seihō's new captain.
As for Yamashita Shigeo, he would remain until a suitable head coach replacement was found before leaving the basketball club he had devoted himself to for so many years.
"Won't you reconsider? I've arranged for someone to come to Seihō. That guy shouldn't disappoint you."
"You mean Haizaki Shōgo? He's certainly a talented player."
Yamashita Shigeo acknowledged Haizaki's talent, but his mind was made up.
"However, after coaching you, any team I coach in the future won't feel special anymore."
"Being your coach for one year—I'm fortunate. At least it proves I'm not so old that I can't recognize true genius."
"Also, once you get over there, play well. Show the whole world the power of Asia!"
Yuuto nodded, promising him he would make a name for himself throughout America, and then the world.
"When are you leaving?"
"After graduation. I need to go early to adjust to the living environment there."
Yamashita Shigeo nodded. Adjusting to the environment was indeed necessary.
To focus on basketball, one couldn't let off-court matters become distractions.
"Will Sora go with you?"
"She wants to come along, but I plan to get settled first before having her join me."
"What about that girl from Tōō?"
"Momoi will come later too."
Yuuto had already planned everything.
Letting Sora go alone definitely wouldn't work. He'd constantly be traveling for games and couldn't look after her. Someone had to be with her for his peace of mind.
Though reluctant, Sora understood that going now would affect Yuuto's focus on basketball. She could only work hard to overcome her social anxiety!
...
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